By: Hannah Stoughton

Sept. 19th, 2022: Thiel College student body is presented with a number of changes, and renovations as the semester began.

A lot has happened on the Tomcat campus over the summer and through the beginning of the semester that affects the student body. The most notable change to student life is the new parking policy. Previously, Resident Leaders were assigned parking spots near each building, one of the perks given to them. Now, that parking is designated for staff. Any parking spots on campus that are marked with yellow lines are for staff only. Furthermore, these parking spots are no longer available on the weekends; Greenville parking and staff parking near Florence West Hall and the Sawhill/Hodge Hall parking lot are included. According to residence life, under no circumstances are students to park in yellow lines.

Another change is that Resident Leaders, previously known as Resident Assistants, have had their titles changed. It is to fit their role more appropriately, as it recognizes their level of responsibility on campus accurately.

As for other changes, the mailroom has done some revamping in the way they decide to work the room. For any student on campus, including commuters, there is a mailbox for every individual. This mailbox will not be changed next year, as it used to be; now, each student will have the same mailbox for their entire time spent at Thiel. It has also been requested that students put their mailbox number on each package that they order, as it may be easier to identify lost packages this way.

Human Resources has changed the way that Thiel pays its workers. With the new Paycom system in place, staff and students are able to track their hours down to the second. While Paycom has not been the most user-friendly platform, it automatically does direct deposit and shows hourly disputes that one may have, making it easy to truly get paid for the work that was done.

The renovations on the Thiel Tomcat gym are finishing up, leaving Thiel with a sleek, new gymnasium. A new air-conditioning system was implemented, allowing the gym to be cooler during hours of use, and the design of the gym changed overall. Instead of the old, wooden floors and walls, they are now dark blue with a Tomcat in the middle of the floor. The women’s volleyball team has already put the renovations to the test with a tournament over the weekend of Sept. 16th, and so far, it seems to be a hit amongst students.

Sidewalks across campus were torn up and fixed during the first few weeks of the Fall ’22 semester, allowing for smoother paths to class and a better-looking campus overall. Many of the sidewalks near Florence West, Greenville Hall, and Roth Hall were worked on during this time.

After years of use and students leaving the rooms in altered states, the first and second floors of Sawhill were finally able to get some new paint and flooring installed. The second floor only got painted, but it still adds a nice flair to the dormitory. Currently, the third floor is not in use.

Another addition to Sawhill was the painting of “The Tomcat Way” on the side of it facing the HMSC. Since many, if not all, first-year students see Sawhill daily, it is a great position to remind them that they are on a path to success.